


Lost

by Yamx



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Backstory: Jack Harkness, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-17
Updated: 2009-09-17
Packaged: 2017-10-21 16:39:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/227334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamx/pseuds/Yamx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In search of Jack's past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dshael](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Dshael).



> I wrote this ficlet for [Dshael](http://dshael.livejournal.com/), who got one of my threads over a milestone in the _Support Stacie Auction_. Her prompt was “Nine, Jack, Jack’s past” – this can also serve as a summary. :) Set somewhere between _TDD_ and _Boomtown_ , but closer to the latter.
> 
> With many thanks to [Wendymr](http://wendymr.livejournal.com/) for super-fast betaing.

The Doctor studies the monitor carefully. “Still nothin’.”

Jack tiredly rubs his face. “Can you run the scan again?”

“Jack, I’ve already tried five-” Seeing Jack’s expression, he nods. “Yeah. ‘Course I will.”

Jack turns away with a sigh. “It’s not going to change anything, is it?”

The Doctor puts a hand on his shoulder and squeezes gently. “No. The TARDIS scanners are incredibly sensitive. We’d have found him by now if there was anything to find.”

Jack turns back. “Maybe if we go closer? A bit further back in time? It’s over 24 hours since the end of the attacks, maybe we just need to-” He stops, seeing the Doctor’s glower. In a very small voice, he adds, “Please?”

“Jack – I told you. This is as close as we can get. Any closer, and we run the risk of being seen by the M’hril. Or by one of the rescue ships that came in after their attacks. Can’t risk it. Too many timelines crossin’ here.” The reproach in his voice is softened by the sadness in his eyes. “I’d love to do more, Jack, but-”

“He was just a child! Nine years old, Doctor! Nine!” Jack starts pacing up and down the console room, unable to contain his agitation. “I need to know what happened.”

“I know you want that, but-”

“We can’t just leave now! We’re so close! We just can’t-” His breath hitches. The Doctor can see he’s close to breaking down, and fighting very hard to get angry instead. Angry at him, which they both know isn’t fair. But that’s all right. Jack is boiling with rage, and the Doctor’s strong enough to take the heat. He shakes his head.

Jack snarls, grabs the Doctor’s lapels and yanks him towards him. “Take us back a day. We can land out of the way. Stay out of sight.”

The Doctor shakes his head again. He should never have brought them here in the first place. He made a mistake. Again. Didn’t he learn anything from that time with Rose’s father? He wanted to give Jack closure, but he should have known that “just looking for the body” would only make things worse if they didn’t find it. He puts a hand on Jack’s left shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Jack, please, just-”

Even his superior Time Lord reflexes don’t let him dodge the right hook. But he grabs both of Jack’s wrists tightly before the left one connects. “Jack.” His voice is pure steel, his posture Oncoming Storm. But he knows his affection and compassion shine in his eyes. He waits, not releasing his iron grasp on Jack, until he catches his gaze.

Jack eyes are full of fury and rage as he looks at him. He’s growling deep in his throat. So the Doctor just keeps holding on, calmly, unmovable. He cannot give Jack what he wants, but he can give him patience. And friendsh- love.

There’s a flicker of something in Jack’s eyes. A slight tremble in his shoulders. A quiver in his jaw.

The mood breaks. Jack sobs, and almost collapses against him. The Doctor releases his wrists and wraps him into a tight hug.

He can feel Jack’s tears soaking through the wool of his jumper. He holds him, tightly, securely. Letting Jack’s pain and anger wash over both of them. For once, Jack’s the storm, and he is the immovable rock letting him rage.

After eleven minutes and forty-eight seconds, Jack’s sobbing calms to a quiet sniffling and his breath becomes deeper and more regular. After another one-hundred and three seconds, he pulls back and looks at the Doctor shamefacedly. “I-”

The Doctor interrupts. “’S all right.”

“You’re bruising.”

The Doctor’s hand goes to his jaw. “Hardly the first time.” He gives a wry grin.

“Still. You came here because I begged you to, and this is how I thank you.”

The Doctor squeezes his shoulder. “Wasn’t really me you were hitting, though, was it?”

Jack puts his own hand over the Doctor’s. “Wh- what do you think happened to him?”

He sighs. “Hard to say. Could be he was hit full-on by a bomb blast. Wouldn’t leave anything for the scanners to find, even with your DNA for comparison.”

“Or…?”

The Doctor winces. The M’hril are a nomadic race, split into many loosely-bound tribes. If they took Jack’s brother prisoner, they’ll never find him. And from what he knows about how the M’hril treat those they capture, he really hopes it was a bomb blast.“Let’s go and pick up Rose. Jackie’s birthday party should be over by now.” He turns to the controls.

With a strangled sob, Jack takes his place next to him. The Doctor slips an arm around his waist and pulls him close. “C’mere, let me show you how to control the temporal matrix shift.”

The End


End file.
